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09 November 2014

Done! It was never going to be the proverbial swift half, and it turned out to be slower than I planned, as I faded in the November heat (!) in the last three miles (as the splits show), but to run a Half with so little preparation and with injuries to overcome is rather satisfying - almost as good as a PB. Almost!

Apart from the heat, the race was also memorable for the beauty of the Grand Union Canal in its route through the western edge of London - just inside the M25. How can such a conurbation have so much green in it? There are some delightful houses along the bank, too, including one with a very airy artist's studio - several canvasses visible through the windows.

The towpath, however, is not ideal for racing on. We started in three waves, so for most of the way the field was suitably spread out, but a gate after only a few hundred yards (most of that round the park where we started) was a bad bottleneck. The surface was far muddier than I had expected, and in places a wrongly-placed foot could have landed you in the canal, which the organisers explained would necessitate a thorough check for Weil's Disease. I didn't see anyone take the plunge, though I had a nasty moment when an earphoney cut me up as I went past and my foot slipped a little.

My calf injury didn't trouble me, and indeed the exercise seems to have loosened it up a bit (another underuse injury? I doubt it). Marshmallow shoes helped, as I could do some heel-banging or at least run less on the fore- or mid-foot and save the calves. Hills remained a problem, though, and even a canal towpath has them - attached to bridges and locks. I quickly realised that the solution was to attack them sideways, running like I would in a warm-up session, pushing sideways with the injured leg: no strain on the gastrocnemius that way at all. It has probably produced some very strange photos, though, as the race photographers (of which there were many) were usually positioned at the top of climbs.

No crabways running on the hill at mile 12, though: it went on too long, so I just had to grin and bear it - and dodge the football that a small boy saw fit to kick straight at me, his mother remonstrating mildly (rather than giving him the good hiding he deserved, and which would have nipped his antisocial tendencies in the bud.

A 10am start on Remembrance Day poses a problem - what to do at 11? The answer was to have a minute's silence before the start. Not everyone fell silent, and the Portaloo doors kept on banging shut throughout, but the music stopped and proper respect was shown. Well done to the organisers. Starting an hour later might have been a good idea from that point of view, but it was quite hot enough by the time I finished and running through the midday heat (!, again!) would have been trying, to say the least.

08 November 2014

A limited goal today: complete 5k, regardless of time, without any gastocnemius or Achilles problems, so I could assess the chances of completing a half tomorrow. A few twinges from the offending part of my right calf, but I made it. Now, a couple of hours later, it's a bit sore, so I'm not sure I have proved myself capable of tomorrow's mission.